A man jumps into the river. He dies. Then he wakes in a cave. Just beyond his reach, in the shadows, a creature lurks, observes, calls him.
Not far away, Connolly, a young man — a boy, really — full of aspirations: a gleaming social life, doing well enough at College, a stable family home. Unbeknownst to him, however, men just like him keep turning up dead. But for Connolly, ignorance is bliss… That is, until he starts having reoccurring nightmares: it always starts with the slow sound of dripping water. Drip. Drip. Then he wakes in a cave where someone — something lurks in the shadows...
Then again, it is just a nightmare.
But when a doubtful seed is planted, Connolly begins to unravel, seeing things where they are not. The cracking sound of a branch in the forest. An empty water bottle. A cold wind whispering behind him. Drip. Drip. Drip.
It is said that when you die your life flashes in front of your eyes. I know this to be untrue. Rather, fragments, disconnected occurrences burns from your memory to offer one last explanation as to why you ended up, wherever you ended up.
I offer you mine. Because this tale - my tale is a cautionary one.
Directed and performed by Artistic Director Jérémie Cyr-Cooke, “Imperceptible” is a masterful adaptation and creation of contemporary theatre, born from the desire to address the mental health crisis in young men in Ireland. Drawing from genres of classical horror and dark fantasy, the story follows a man's harrowing journey into madness as he grapples with what he believes to be a supernatural presence.
Originally featured as part of the Galway Theatre Festival 2020, and following from the success of “Blood On the Moon” (2017), “The Messiness of Human Relationships” (2018), “Arbitration (or a life worth living)” (2018), and “Embodying Glass” (2021), Cuisle Productions revives this production to bring audiences on a dark, scary, and thrilling experience into the depths and shadows of the mind, shedding light on a pressing societal concern.
Tout est faux. Tout est possible. Tout est douteux.
Everything is false. Everything is possible. Everything is doubtful
Duration: approx. 70 minutes
Warning: Strong language, partial nudity, and themes of suicide.
Supported by Drama & Theatre Studies @ UofG; Hardiman Scholarship
